Chapter 31
31. Betrayal
My voice rose in panic.
“That’s not…! It’s not like that!”
“Then what is it?”
“……”
But in the face of Black's retort, my lips wouldn't part, as if glued shut. We were so different. I had done my best to avoid the division of Nauk, but it seemed Black might see it as me spouting poor lies to protect an old lover.
“As I said, I no longer trust you, Princess.”
Strangely, those words stung like a splinter under my fingernail.
“Even so, do you want me to spare him?”
“……Yes.”
Even if he didn't trust me, I couldn't help it. The eldest son of the Kleinfelter Family couldn't die. No matter how much I thought it would have been better if he had died, I couldn't stand by and watch Kleinfelter's death in Nauk.
“Then so be it.”
“Ah……”
A moment of relief washed over me. As I unknowingly raised my head, Black's eyes narrowed like blades as he looked at Liene.
“Give me a price in return.”
“What kind of……”
Black grabbed Liene's arm and yanked her towards him. His lips brushed against her ear. He pressed his lips against Liene's earlobe, as if crushing them, and slowly uttered,
“Tonight, the Princess will have to share a bed with me.”
“What did you say?”
Black released her arm as if he had no intention of listening to anything else.
“Take that one away. Tie him up and lock him away.”
“……Yes, Lord.”
Their eyes seemed to say, 'How can we not kill a guy like that?' but the mercenaries obeyed the order. Black's expression was too fierce to argue with right now. It felt like anything could be cut off if touched.
“Escort the Princess to the castle. I'll go ahead.”
“Huh? You're going ahead? You're going to ride a horse alone in that condition?”
Leaving the bewildered mercenaries behind, Black quickly walked to his horse and leaped onto it.
“Giddy up!”
Dudududu……. The horse carrying Black disappeared in the blink of an eye.
“……”
Liene could only stand there and watch Black's figure fade into the distance. It hurts……. The words that he no longer trusted her still hurt. * * *
“Good heavens……! Princess! Why are you dressed like that? What on earth happened?”
By the time we returned to the castle, the sun was just turning into a sunset.
“Didn't you say you were going alone? Why are you coming back with……”
As expected, Madam Flambard was so surprised that she didn't know what to do. Anyone would be flustered if someone who said they were just going to share some food came back covered in dirt and surrounded by three mercenaries.
“Something happened. I want to wash up first, do you have any water left?”
“Of course, of course. You can use my water. I'll prepare some clothes for you to change into. Please go to your room quickly.”
“Thank you, Madam.”
Liene turned to the mercenaries. They were, in effect, not escorts but guards. Because of what happened today, Tiwakan would have perceived me as someone who could betray their leader and run away at any time. I didn't feel like explaining that it wasn't like that, but I couldn't accept being watched either.
“I don't think you need to escort me anymore. I'm going to go into my room.”
The mercenaries exchanged glances, and one of them opened his mouth.
“Do as you please. We'll be here until the Lord says otherwise.”
“The castle is safe. Escort is excessive.”
“I think the Lord's opinion is different.”
“……”
They showed no sign of backing down. Liene sighed softly.
“Then bring some chairs and sit down. I'll let you know in advance when I'm about to leave the room.”
“Don't worry about us. We'll take care of ourselves.”
“……Okay, then.”
Liene didn't say anything more and went into the bedroom. Madam Flambard blinked for a long time, wondering what on earth was going on. ……Click. Only after closing the bedroom door behind her did the Madam ask.
“Princess! What on earth is going on? Why are those men suddenly acting like this?”
“Haa…….”
The fatigue I had been holding back washed over me. Liene's legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.
“Oh my, Princess! What's wrong!”
Madam Flambard was startled and tried to help Liene up.
“Just a moment. I'll just sit for a moment.”
“No, don't do this on the floor, sit on a chair.”
“Then the chair will get dirty. This one outfit is enough to wash. I already have so much to do.”
“……”
The Madam examined her exhausted face and sat down next to Liene.
“What happened outside?”
“……That's right.”
“Is it not something you can tell me?”
“No. It's not that I'm deliberately hiding it, but……”
……When I try to speak, my heart aches. I don't know why it hurts, but it keeps hurting.
“The Kleinfelter Family tried to kill Lord Tiwakan.”
“Yes?”
Madam Flambard almost screamed. She realized belatedly that her voice was too loud and covered her mouth.
“Th, then? So he died…… did he die?”
“No.”
Liene's eyes sank heavily. The emotions she had felt when she heard that Black had died stirred in her chest like boiling water.
“But he was hurt. Badly.”
“Oh dear……. So? No, why are they angry at the Princess when the Kleinfelter Family did such a thing?”
That was a little surprising.
“How do you know that Lord Tiwakan is angry at me?”
“Because the men attached to the Princess are angry.”
“They weren't angry. They didn't treat me harshly either.”
“Come on. Isn't their attitude towards the Princess completely different from yesterday?”
“Is that……so?”
“That's how it seems to me.”
That's how I knew. That Tiwakan's mercenaries were completely different from the rumors. According to the terrible rumors I had heard before, they were closer to beasts or monsters than humans, but I had never actually witnessed such a sight. Even now that they were angry with me, their tone had only become rougher, and they weren't committing any particular rudeness. It must be because of that man. Because that man had always been polite to me.
“Lord Tiwakan thinks I conspired with Lord Kleinfelter to do such a thing.”
“Pardon?”
Madam Flambard's eyes widened so much that they looked like they would pop out at any moment.
“Princess, surely……”
“No.”
Liene firmly nipped the suspicion in the bud.
“I swear I didn't do such a thing, and I had no intention of doing so. It would be foolish to do such a thing now that Tiwakan has established himself in the castle.”
“That's right! Even a five-year-old would know that! But why did Lord Kleinfelter do such a foolish thing?”
“I want to know that too. Why is he acting so foolishly?”
When I told her the whole story of how Laffite had kidnapped me and put me in a wagon, and how Black had followed, Madam Flambard groaned, "Oh my."
“That's……. Anyone would misunderstand. Especially since he believes that the Princess is carrying the child of that…… Lord Kleinfelter.”
“That's right.”
Liene buried her face in her knees.
“I don’t regret saying those words… because I have things to protect. But…”
Liene’s throat tightened, and she paused to catch her breath.
“…It’s just so… suffocating.”
It feels like someone is squeezing my heart. I don’t trust that man either, so why do I feel so miserable when he says he doesn’t trust me anymore? How long do I have to keep suspecting like this? Will this ever end…?
“Say it’s not true.”
Liene shook her head, burying her face.
“It was no use.”
“You must keep at it until he believes you. Do you think broken trust can be easily mended?”
“Will anything change if I do?”
“Why do you say that? Aren’t you distressed because of the misunderstanding?”
“Yes, I am. But… we’re not on terms where clearing up the misunderstanding will make things better, are we?”
“Princess…”
“I have to keep lying in the future. I can’t ask him to believe me every time, can I?”
“Why do you think so negatively? Isn’t it possible not to lie?”
“How? I have to hide my period right away.”
“……”
Liene, who had been precariously tilting her head and hiding her face for a while, slowly straightened her back.
“It’s okay now. I’ll take a bath.”
“Princess… you can stay longer.”
Madam Flambard said that instead of saying Liene didn’t look okay at all.
“If I stay like this, there will be no end. I have to move when I can. Please prepare my clothes after I wash up.”
“……Then wait a moment. I’ll draw the water.”
As if she thought Liene would refuse, Madam Flambard didn’t wait for an answer and quickly got up and went into the bathroom.
“I’m fine, though.”
Liene murmured, looking at Madam Flambard’s back.
“Really.”
Aside from the messed-up mood, she was actually fine. Anyway, the eldest son of the Kleinfelter Family didn’t die, and neither did Black. Nauk was safe. So everything had to be okay.
“…Ah, or not. There might be one thing that’s not okay.”
There was a price she had to pay for Nauk being safe.
-Today, we will share a bed.
Liene shuddered as Black’s voice suddenly pierced her mind. Surely… it can’t be. The wedding is still a few days away, so… It can’t be. Black wouldn’t make empty promises. Still, Liene was desperate not to believe those words.
“It can’t be. He’s not the kind of person who would force… such a thing. No.”
Liene hurriedly got up, feeling like she would be crushed by the thought that was growing bigger and bigger as she denied it. She would be fine after washing up. The messed-up mood, the worries about the coming night. She had to be fine. * * * To avoid the same mistake, Liene bolted both doors of the bathroom. She took off her clothes and turned towards the water basin in front of the mirror, and her appearance was more miserable than she thought.
“What is this?”
There were blue and red bruises on her right elbow, forearm, and side. It seemed like she had bumped into something when she was in the carriage.
“This is scraped. No wonder it hurt.”
She felt absurd and empty, so she let out a hollow laugh.
“That Laffite is really no help.”
The man who was once her lover had now become an incredibly troublesome existence.
“I really hate it.”
Liene hurled insults at Laffite that he couldn’t hear and washed the scraped, bleeding elbow. The blood had already hardened, making it even more difficult to wash.
“Come to think of it… that man was also injured.”
Black wasn’t just bruised like this; his injuries were so severe that his clothes were soaked with blood. Judging from the fact that even his subordinates had dissuaded him from riding a horse, it might have been worse than she imagined.
“Did he get treatment?”
Black, who had left first, had not yet returned to the castle. She was worried about where he had gone and whether he was okay. At some point, her feelings for him were no longer aversion or fear. Rather, pity, worry, gratitude, and apology were taking up more space. It was happening without Liene realizing it. I hope he’s not in too much pain. Liene swallowed her feelings and focused on washing. When she had wiped away all the bloodstains and felt clean, it happened. Crack… Thud! The bathroom door, which had been carefully bolted, opened as if it had been torn down. The support holding the bolt fell off due to the force.
“……!”
Liene turned her head sharply. What came into view was Black. His expression was frozen like a statue as he looked at her.
